CHAPTER X
Finn had been strapped to a gurney for days, his torture ongoing.
The bald-headed Sith Inquisitor had inflicted every single type of pain he knew on the subject, and Finn's screams could be heard from several rooms down. Everyone onboard the Star Destroyer knew they had a prisoner, and knew all that was being done to him.
Finn squirmed, but the restraints held. He had stopped thinking of Rey; he thought only of the other clones created by these monsters; the ones that hadn't been as lucky as in breaking away. Could he help them somehow? And where was Udo? But he only drifted in and out of consciousness.
Darth Phasma oversaw the torture, the sadism just slightly contained on her lips but pulshing through her golden hair.
That morning, she saw Kylo Ren emerging from his chambers, and went to greet him.
"Lord Ren, the prisoner claims to not know where Kur Wendar is. I am more than happy to inflict a few more days of torture-"
"She contacted me in my dreams last night. Rey."
"The Jedi woman?"
"Yes."
"She can enter dreams?"
"She knows the darkside well, things that Skywalker never taught her. Now she's requesting a parlay. She claims to have Wendar with her."
"Would she turn him in?"
"In exchange for the prisoner, she might."
"Do you trust her?"
"Oddly enough, I find more in her that I trust than I don't."
Phasma did not seem satisfied.
"There is something you wish to say, Darth Phasma? There's no hierarchy between us. You can always speak your mind."
"Lord Ren, as much as I enjoy torturing this rebel scum, I feel there is more I can be doing for the Sith elsewhere. We've besieged the planet, but what of the next step?"
"Capturing Rey and Wendar is the next step."
"I feel we should think bigger."
"Very well, Phasma. If there's something you wish to be doing, I won't prevent you."
And that evening, one lone shuttle discreetly departed from the Star Destroyer. It was a small, crimson-colored speck, piloted only by Darth Phasma. It left Kessel and plummeted away, further and further towards better-known regions of space.
Kylo Ren watched her shuttle leave from the windows of his quarters, not sure where she was going, but more and more confident that she had some surprise planned. In the brief time he had known her, she had always had a few tricks up her sleeve.
Meanwhile, Finn was struggling to keep his thoughts lucid. All he was conscious of was moments of being tortured and moments where he wasn't but could think of nothing but memories of that torture.
Suddenly his restraints were loosened.
He shook himself awake, trying to piece together what was going on. He was-still in the torture gurney, still onboard the Star Destroyer, but he was alone now. It was-evening? Yes, things seemed to have calmed down. The room was empty. Why-what had freed him?
"You're free, sir," a familiar voice said, and Finn sat up with a jolt. He looked at the floor, and there was Veep, rolling around, having just connected with the room's main computer.
"Veep! How did you get here?"
"After the Resistance fled, I was able to roll onto one of the Sith's command shuttles. No one ever notices a VP-unit."
"You-you've been on this Star Destroyer for days, and no one's noticed you?"
"I've just rolled back and forth through the vessel. Now was the first time I've been able to find you alone."
"What time is it?"
"The middle of the night. Most everyone's asleep."
Finn got out of the gurney and stood up, finding it was a bit difficult to walk.
"It's okay, sir," Veep said, "I'll guide you."
"Where's Udo?"
"I believe the Wookiee is in the lower compartment. A Star Destroyer isn't really designed to hold prisoners."
A few minutes later, Finn was walking through the halls, carrying the droid under his arms, but he was still very weak, and began to worry about fainting.
"I'm losing my sense of direction, Veep," he said, "I think I can keep my strength up, but I might need to rest-"
"Who goes there?"
He spun around to find the bald-headed Sith Inquisitor standing before them.
"So, the prisoner has escaped," he said with a grin, "No matter, I've dealt with escapees before. I find you even more fun to deal with when free than incarcerated. Let's see how you-"
Finn simply shot his blaster and killed him on the spot!
"Good thing he liked to talk too much," Veep said.
"Just like a certain droid I know," Finn responded.
Ten minutes later, Finn now walked the hallways, this time dressed as a Sith Inquisitor. The outfit made him look huge and intimidating. Even Veep seemed scared, being carried in his arms.
"Careful not to squeeze me, sir," he chimed.
Finn waited for the elevator. When it arrived, he discovered it was filled with other Sith, including a scaly-reptile creature. They all stared at him.
"I don't recall seeing you before," the reptile creature said, "What is your name?"
"I am Darth Finn," Finn said in a commanding voice, "and I am in a bad mood! Do you really wish to rouse the ire of a Sith Inquisitor?"
The reptile creature immediately became quiet. Finn gave him a look.
Three stories down, he had the elevator all to himself. He smiled down at Veep, and the elevator continued to descend.
